A toy

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a capsule toy. The capsule toy includes two parts: a capsule, comprising one or more components which form a body of the capsule, and configured to fit a removable toy and a toy, comprising a body, and configured to fit within the capsule. The body of the toy is configured to receive at least one of the components of the capsule once it is removed from the capsule. A toy is also described.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of toys. More particularly, butnot exclusively, the present invention relates to capsule toys.

BACKGROUND

One mechanism for packaging toys is via a capsule. The capsules areoften formed of two parts that can be opened by a user to provide accessto a toy inside.

An advantage of capsule toys is that they can be stocked and deliveredfrom vending machines. These toys are very popular in Asia where theyare known as gashapon, gasha, or gacha.

A disadvantage of capsule toys is that the volume of the capsule limitsthe toys designs possible.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a capsule toy whichovercomes the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least provides auseful alternative.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a capsuletoy, including:

a capsule, comprising one or more components which form a body of thecapsule, and configured to fit a removable toy; anda toy, comprising a body, and configured to fit within the capsule;wherein the body of the toy is configured to receive at least onecomponent of the capsule, after the toy is removed from the capsule.

Other aspects of the invention are described within the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1a to 1 f:

-   -   show a capsule toy in accordance with an embodiment of the        invention; and

FIGS. 2a to 2 f:

-   -   show a capsule toy in accordance with an alternative embodiment        of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a capsule toy where the body of the toyis configured to receive at least part of the capsule when it is removedfrom the capsule.

The inventor has noticed that soft toys (such as “plushies”) do not lendthemselves well to being packaged as a capsule toy, because the soft toywhen it is sized to fit within the common capsule size is too small tobe properly usable by a consumer.

The inventor has discovered that components that form the body of thecapsule can be repurposed to provide shape and form to a plushie thathas been collapsed to fit inside the capsule.

In FIGS. 1a to 1f , a capsule toy in accordance with an embodiment ofthe invention will be described.

A capsule 100 is shown in FIG. 1a . The capsule 100 comprises twocomponents 101 and 102. The two components 101 and 102 engage togetherto form the body of the capsule 100. The two components 101 and 102 areengaged together by tension where a rim of one component overlays thelid of the other. Alternative means for engaging the two components 101and 102 is possible, such as, by torsion where one component is screwedonto the other, by one or more clasps, or by an additional adhesionproduct such as glue or tape.

The two components 101 and 102 may also be connected via a hinge or thecomponents 101 and 102 may not be connected at all.

In alternative embodiments, the capsule 100 may comprise a singlecomponent or more than two components. The more than two components maybe configured to form a body of the capsule when in a closed state.

The opening of a capsule 100 by a user is shown in FIG. 1b . The twocomponents 101 and 102 are disengaged from one another and a soft toy103 is shown within the body of the capsule 100. The soft toy 103 is ina collapsed state such that it can fit within the body of the capsule100.

The soft toy 103 may be constructed out of a flexible material such asfabric or silicon.

Further details can be added to the material of the soft toy 103 bymeans of stitching, stuffed fabric shapes, plastics, and/or wooden ormetal elements (e.g. springs).

The toy 103 may be a soft toy such as a plushie or another deformabletoy such as toys made of rubber or compressible plastic.

The toy 103 may include an electronics component to provide additionalfunctionality to the toy 103. The electronics component may beconfigured to generate light, sound, action via a motor, and/orcommunication in response to movement, light, sound, and/orcommunication.

The collapsed soft toy 103 after complete removal from the capsule 100is shown in FIG. 1 c.

As shown in FIG. 1d , the soft toy 103 includes an opening 104 or slitthat can be opened by the user. The soft toy 103 may be formed as aflexible sock such that the opening 104 of the sock can receive thecapsule 100. In an alternative embodiment, the soft toy 103 may beformed of two or more parts that can be combined by a fastener means,such as hooks-and-loops, zip, etc., such that the soft toy 103 can becombined to surround all or part of the capsule 100.

The capsule 100 can be reformed from the two components 101 and 102 andpushed into the opening 104 in the soft toy 103 as shown in FIG. 1 e.

The soft toy 103 is shown in FIG. 1f where the capsule 100 is entirelywithin the body of the soft toy 103 and the opening 104 has been sealed.The opening 104 may be sealed by a fastener such as folding the materialof the soft toy, hook-and-loop or a zip.

It can be seen that the capsule 100 shapes the soft toy 103 and the softtoy 103 has been converted from a collapsed state to a formed state.

In an alternative embodiment, the body of the toy 103 receives thecapsule 100 such that the capsule 100 forms part of an exterior featureof the toy 103.

It will be appreciated that the shape of the capsule shown in theFigures is exemplary only and that other capsule shapes may be used.

In FIGS. 2a to 2f , a capsule toy in accordance with an alternativeembodiment of the invention will be described.

A capsule 200 is shown in FIG. 2a . The capsule 200 comprises twocomponents 201 and 202 and the two components 201 and 202 engagetogether to form the body of the capsule 200 as described in relation toFIG. 1 a.

The opening of a capsule 200 by a user is shown in FIG. 2b . The twocomponents 201 and 202 are disengaged from one another and a soft toy203 is shown within the body of the capsule 200.

The collapsed soft toy 203 after complete removal from the capsule 200is shown in FIG. 2 c.

As shown in FIG. 2d , the soft toy 203 includes an opening 204 or slitthat can be opened by the user. The soft toy 203 may be formed as aflexible sock such that the opening 204 of the sock can receive one ofthe components 201 or 202.

One of the components (in this example, 201) of the capsule 200 ispushed into the opening 204 in the soft toy 203 as shown in FIG. 2 e.

The soft toy 203 is shown in FIG. 2f where the component 201 of thecapsule 200 is entirely within the body of the soft toy 203 and theopening 204 has been sealed.

It can be seen that, in this embodiment, it is one component 201 or 202of the capsule 200 that shapes the soft toy 203 to convert it from acollapsed state to a formed state.

It will be appreciated that the features described in relation to thecapsule toy of FIGS. 1a to 1f may also be applicable for the capsule toyof FIGS. 2a to 2 f.

Potential advantages of some embodiments of the present invention isthat toys larger than the capsule can be delivered via the capsulemethod (for example, usable soft toys can be delivered as a capsule toyin the standard size), and parts of the capsule are reused to provideform to the toy, thereby reducing waste.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description ofthe embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been describedin considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant torestrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to suchdetail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broaderaspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatusand method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly,departures may be made from such details without departure from thespirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept.

1. A capsule toy, including: a capsule, comprising one or morecomponents which form a body of the capsule, and configured to fit aremovable toy; and a toy, comprising a body, and configured to fitwithin the capsule; wherein the body of the toy is configured to receiveat least one component of the capsule, after the toy is removed from thecapsule.
 2. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the toyis fitted within the capsule is it in a collapsed state, and, when thetoy is removed from capsule and the body of the toy receives the atleast one component of the capsule, the at least one component convertsthe toy into a formed state.
 3. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 1,wherein the toy is a soft toy.
 4. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 1,wherein at least a part of the body of the toy is formed of a flexiblematerial.
 5. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 4, wherein the body ofthe toy is formed of a flexible sock.
 6. A capsule toy as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the body of the toy comprises an opening.
 7. A capsuletoy as claimed in claim 6, wherein the body of the toy receives the atleast one components via the opening.
 8. A capsule toy as claimed inclaim 7, wherein the opening is sealable.
 9. A capsule toy as claimed inclaim 8, wherein the opening is sealable via a fastener.
 10. A capsuletoy as claimed in claim 9, wherein the fastener is one selected from theset of a hook-and-loop fastener, a zip fastener, and a fold in amaterial of the body of the toy.
 11. A capsule toy as claimed in claim1, wherein the capsule comprises a plurality of components.
 12. Acapsule toy as claimed in claim 11, wherein the capsule is openable bydetaching one of components from the other.
 13. A capsule toy as claimedin claim 12, wherein after removable from the capsule, the capsule isconfigured to be reformed from the plurality of components and the toyis further configured to receive the reformed capsule.
 14. A capsule toyas claimed in claim 1, wherein the body of the toy is configured toreceive at least one component of the capsule to form at least part ofan exterior feature of the toy.
 15. A toy, comprising a body, andconfigured to fit within a capsule; wherein the body of the toy isconfigured to receive at least one of the components forming the body ofthe capsule, after the toy is removed from the capsule.
 16. (canceled)